Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-04-23


The big bufYalo bun, the biggest OF the lot thai
Mr.. VIM. T. Hornaday shot In Montana, on his re
cent hunt for bison for the Smithsonian Institu
tton, stands now in the taxidermists workshop. II
the old Armory building, Just as the huge anima
stood after Nj. Hornaday shot him and disabled
him The bu2l stood then motiouless, with the
head lowered, and Nj. Hornaday, dismounting
walked around him and sketched ham as he STOOD
before firing the fatal bullet In this attitud,
the big buffalo, almost the last OF hi.
race, will soon stand in the National Mu
scum, as the taxidermists work is now completed
Old buffalo hunters who have visited Mr. Horna.
days work-room have expressed surprise that an
animal 80 grand In size and so perfect I'm form
should have been spared so long. for this huge
immense herds that thronged the plains when
buffalo were counted by the million.
BULLETS N HIS SKIN.
That he had been chased, probably by cowboys
was evidenced by the fact that the taxidermist
and his assistants took from his skin four more
bullets s,e than n.ss Mr. y, HOrnaday rred at him
too, was the mark OF an old bullet wound As he
now stands, mounted, he is quite different crea-
ture rom tne miserable scraggy buffalo that peo-
PIE, VINO nave not made the acquaintance OF the
bison on the plains, may have seen In shows his
lowered head Is covered with a shock or mat OF
long Dlack hair, from beneath which his eyes glare
as they glared defiance TO the hunter who brought
him to bay. His body, though it has OF course
the awkward buffalo hump has some grace and
symmetry ABOUT lt. The limbs are strong and well.
musled, and the headquarters well rounded The
coat Is quite smooth, and the name thick and curly
Measurements were taken OF the animal as soon a.
inches Three inches are added apparently to
this height by the thickness OF the hair The
length from the end of the nose to the hindquar.
quarters lsS feet inches; circumference OF chest
3 ieet Inches The distance from the end OF the
nose, over the forehead and hump, and along the
back to the end OF the tail is IL feet inches The
matted hair on the buli's forehead is ies inches
long, and the brush on the end OF his tail is
~ inches long: The bull, 1t Is supposed, was
cowboys reckon a buffalos age by the rings on
1Is nom, counting year for each ring. The
nrst ring comes ii Is stated, after the animal is
three years old. This bufYalo has nine rings,
which would indicate that he was twelve years
Old his weight, IT is estimated, was 900 pounds
ONE OF GROUP.
This buffalo viii take his place In the Museum
as one OF group OF bison. This group will con.
tain young calf, a yearling, two-year old, and
several more mature buffalo Some OF these spec,.
mems have already been mounted. for Others wooden
skeletons or mannikins have been set up and they
are being wound and padded intothe shape OF bur.
mannlktn, and In some cases the leg bones are uti
lied SO that the figure when completed VIII be as
!ile-Ike as possible. A number OF the buffalos
heads have been mounted separately II is expected
also that soon the collection OF mammals In the
Museum VIII be enriched by the skeletons of one
or two typical buffalo taken from those brough,
THE OPINIONS OF OLD BUFFALO HUNTERS
The buffalo bull, as it has been mounted by Mr.
Hornaday, has been inspected by a number OF old
buffalo hunters, including Gen. Sheridan, Gen
Van Fliet, and Col. James Stevenson. OF the Geo
logical Survey. Gen. Van Vliet, who with Gen
sheridan, looked at the specimen at Prof. Baird.
request, has written a letter to Prof. Baird, in
which he says:
Il don't think 1 have ever seen a more splendid
specimen in my life. Gen. Sheridan and have
"a 1oin In form
times. have killed hundreds but never killed
larger animal than the one I'm possession OF your
was too tall, but the taxider1nist showed
be made Of the animal IL when 'A' he sho
NAL 1 thought that the left hind leg nigh,
be brought forward six inches. This would make
the animal look little shorter. but I doubt IL
as 1t is, and perfectly natural You will have thi:
consolation anyhow, even II the animal Is exag
gerated which he is not and that is not one In ter
thousand who looks at him, ever has or ever viii
see live buffalo"
ONE OF THE FINEST.
The unusual size OF the buffalo has given rise
to criticism by persons who supposed that it had
been exaggerated in mounting. As suggested by
General Van Viet the attitude gives an impress
sion OF unnatural length. The LEFT hind leg is
sketched. Colonel Stevenson has written a
letter about the buffalo. In which he says:
ION general principles would say nom an ex-
tenstve personal experience In sk1nning buffalo
and preparing and mounting specimens during a
period Of many years, when the entire northern
and western parts Of our country were roamed over
by vast herds OF buffalo, that you have been most
fortunate In securing one OF the finest II not the
finest. specimen l ever saw; almost perfect In
every respect, and In my opinion, beyond criti-
cism in the completeness OF mounting, anatomical
appearance and naturalneSs OF attitude, do not
think that anyone could safely venture to criticize
any feature OF the specimen referred to who has
not killed, measured and mounted specimens him.
SeIfp